The memory is a crucial aspect of cognitive thought and the brain’s function. The memory allows people to recall events, actions and decisions of the past. Memory is divided into short term and long term memory loss. The short term obviously refers to recent events, conversations and actions. Long term memory is the storage of all the events of a person’s life. Typically the more significant event, the more likely it is to be stored in long term memory.
Unfortunately, many people suffer from various forms of memory loss. This can be something minor like forgetting a conversation from a few days ago or losing your keys. Unfortunately, memory loss can also be severe and in many cases dangerous. People with severe memory loss can end up repeatedly performing tasks that should only be done once, like taking prescription medication in the morning. Memory loss is an important aspect of health to know about.
Age Related Memory Loss
It’s important to note that everyone ages and everyone suffers from a little bit of age related memory loss. It’s typically for minor issues. Maybe you forget someone’s name for a few hours or where you put down your purse or wallet. Most issues with age related memory loss can be handled and ensure that day to day life still remains somewhat similar.
There’s ways to combat age related memory loss. Making lists of tasks or needs can be a big assistance. There are plenty of apps that can assist with minor memory issues. Calendar apps are especially beneficial as they can store all of a year’s important events and offer up multiple reminders before any event listed in the calendar.
Dementia and Memory Loss
Dementia is a broad term used to describe a collection of symptoms that come from various memory loss conditions. The most common and well known of these is Alzheimer’s disease. Dementia tends to be progressive and get worse as time goes on. Dementia is serious. It can greatly impair a person with how they interact socially with others and their capability of working.
People with dementia may repeatedly ask the same question or forget very common words. In other cases, they could swap common words with each other. It’s also possible for those with dementia to place items in very odd locations and it to feel familiar. Advanced dementia can result in people wandering off or getting lost. This can be very dangerous and often results in injury or potentially fatal issues. Other forms of dementia aside from Alzheimer’s disease can include Vascular dementia, Lew body dementia and Frontotemporal dementia.
Reversible and Temporary Memory Loss
The symptoms of dementia can often be experienced by people who may not suffer from it. There are plenty of things which can cause a person to deal with reversible memory loss. Various infections or tumors to the brain can cause issues, as can medications for a variety of issues. The cartoonish idea that a bonk on the head causes full amnesia is foolish, but some head trauma can cause fuzziness or issues with memory. This includes concussions. People who suffer from depression or anxiety may find that memory issues occur. Suffers of hyperthyroidism may deal with memory problems and difficulty with thought.
A person’s health and diet can matter as well. Those who drink excessive alcohol can suffer from memory impairment, especially if they mix the alcohol with medications. Vitamin B-12 is an important part of the body. It helps nerve cells and blood cells to be healthy. A lack of vitamin B-12 is actually a common cause of some reversible memory loss.